Craig Street Cats is seeking the services of a mature, responsible person to act as cat care specialist, and be part of our innovative programs for Winnipeg's community cats. This is a permanent, full time position. The successful candidate will work closely with our staff, volunteers and veterinarian to provide exemplary care for cats and kittens in our programs.

Qualifications:

Veterinary Office Assistant certificate, or equivalent

Experience in a high volume shelter or veterinary clinic setting (or comparable field experience)

Understanding of and commitment to the No Kill Equation

Ability to maintain accurate records and work with shelter management software

Ability to work efficiently in a high stress environment

Ability to work with volunteers

Understanding of the non-profit model and fundraising.

Duties will include primary care of cats and kittens, working with volunteers and foster families, transporting cats to and from veterinary appointments, liaising with our veterinary clinic, maintaining daily records and reporting to the Cat Care Supervisor. A reliable vehicle is necessary. Hours of work will include days, evenings and weekends. A clear criminal record check is a condition of employment.Craig Street Cats is Winnipeg's largest cat specific animal welfare organization, working to humanely reduce the number of cats living on our streets. Our innovative programs include comprehensive colony management, a neo-natal kitten nursery, and an adoption centre dedicated to cats and kittens coming through our programs.

Winnipeg, MB, October 22, 2018: Candidates in Winnipeg's civic election are being asked to state their position on a Pledge of Compassion and Action for Winnipeg's community cats. Craig Street Cats has started an email campaign encouraging voters to email their candidates regarding the issue.

According to CSC Executive Director, Lynne Scott, voters are being asked to email their candidates, and report back on any replies they receive. The following sample email has been posted for general use:I am writing over my concern about the community cat problem in Winnipeg, and would like to know your position on the subject. Please indicate your support for a comprehensive, compassionate, course of action to help manage Winnipeg's cat population by responding to the following pledge:

There are over 100,000 community cats living on Winnipeg's streets, and the population continues to grow.

If elected to Winnipeg City Council, I, _____________________, pledge to help the cats. I will support a comprehensive feline population control program to humanely control the feline population and prevent suffering.

Such a program would include, but is not limited to:

-- adoption of trap, neuter, return as the preferred method of population control for Winnipeg's community cats-- implementation of an affordable and accessible spay/neuter program.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. Your response will help me decide how to cast my vote.

Scott says the campaign was prompted by Animal Services' treatment of citizens who are trying to manage the cat population in their neighbourhood, using trap, neuter, return. "It truly is time for this city to move into the 21st century with its animal control bylaw, and stop harassing those who are doing the city's job for them."

About Craig Street Cats: Craig Street Cats is a non-profit organization working to humanely reduce Winnipeg's free roaming cat population, rescue kittens and educate the public about community cats. CSC is the largest cat specific animal welfare organization in Winnipeg, caring for over 750 cats in its managed colonies, foster homes and adoption centre.​-30-

I just finished watching a news piece about how hard it is for Manitoba dog rescues to keep up with the number of dogs in this province. I do not want to cast shade on dog rescues. They work hard and do good work, but while I was watching that news piece, I was struck by the notion that neither the reporter, nor the rescue people have any idea what overwhelming numbers really are.

People involved in cat rescue and community cat programs can tell you, in great detail, exactly what constitutes "overwhelming numbers". Here are ours:​

100,000+ Number of cats living on Winnipeg streets

300,000+ Number of kittens born on Winnipeg streets this year

225,000+ Number of kittens dying on Winnipeg streets this year

~8,000 Number of kittens 'rescued' this year

18,000+ Number of cats and kittens that will die over the winter

50,000+ Number of kittens that survive winter to join the breeding population next year

12,000+ Number of cats we've had to turn away so far this year. 12,000 cats that are still on the streets and reproducing. That number will likely hit 20,000 before the end of the year.

Winnipeg, MB, May 1, 2018: A short stretch of river bank is home to a massive colony of community cats that are now under the care of Craig Street Cats. Estimates put the total population of the colony at close to 100 cats and kittens.

"To be honest, we're a little bit overwhelmed," says Craig Street Cats Executive Director, Lynne Scott. "We originally believed the colony had between 20 and 30 cats, but in the past few weeks we've counted over 80 different cats and kittens, and we're still seeing new cats almost every day." While CSC was prepared to absorb the expense of managing a 30 cat colony, 100 cats puts a strain on their budget. "The cost of caring for this colony (food, spay & neuter, vaccinations, and additional veterinary care) through to the end of this year is around $25,000," says Scott. "There's no way to just absorb that big an expense, without some additional help." Scott adds that just ignoring the colony is out of the question. "Without immediate intervention, that colony will continue to grow, and by this time next year there will be over 150 cats where there are now 100." CSC has started a crowd funding campaign to help cover the cost of managing the colony.https://www.youcaring.com/craigstreetcats-1176835

About Craig Street Cats: Craig Street Cats is a non-profit organization working to humanely reduce Winnipeg's free roaming cat population, rescue kittens and educate the public about community cats. CSC is the largest cat specific animal welfare organization in Winnipeg, caring for over 750 cats in its managed colonies, foster homes and adoption centre.​-30-

I read this article last night, and wondered if I should say anything about it. Going through our financial records this morning, I decided that I definitely should.

It seems that charities and non-profits are worried because the donations that usually come in before Christmas are not coming in this year. Winnipeg Harvest has received only one third of what it normally receives in December.

We are in the very same boat. Last Christmas saw a 60% drop in Christmas giving. So far this year we are experiencing a further 50% drop (to date the cats have received only 20% of what is normally donated in December). That is income from all sources -- fundraising, pledges and Christmas gifts. To be blunt, what has come in so far this month won't even cover this month's operating expenses.

This drop in giving comes when we are experiencing the highest demand for service that we have ever had. Today we have over 100 more cats in care than we had a year ago. Every day brings desperate calls to help even more cats. Without money, we have to say no.

If you can help at all, please do. No amount is too small. If you can network with friends and family to help the cats, please consider joining our Christmas for the Critters campaign. If you want to make a personal contribution, a donation to the campaign will be greatly appreciated! Without your help, this will be a very bleak Christmas for the cats. https://sna.etapestry.com/fund…/CraigStreetCats/christmas17/

If you prefer to mail in your gift:Craig Street Cats16-1421 St. James St.Wpg, MB, R3H 0Y9

This has been a particularly harrowing week at Craig Street Cats. On top of ongoing financial difficulties we have been compelled to respond to several cases of abuse and neglect.

We are appalled at the level of cruelty, abuse and neglect being perpetrated against cats and their caregivers, and the fact that our society is so jaded that media no longer responds to reports of such things. This week alone we have responded to 4 separate incidents involving cruelty to cats and one involving assault of an elderly cat caregiver:

​1. a 4 month old kitten found missing a rear foot and dumped in a rural area. The foot has been cleanly cut off, indicating that this was not an accidental injury.

2. an elderly woman who has been caring for a managed colony of cats, with permission from the property owner, has been harassed and stalked by a neighbour who objects to the cats being on his neighbour's property. This person has threatened the caregiver with a crow bar, and hurled insults at her in the past. Yesterday he threatened to poison the cats, and threw shovels full of dirt clods at the caregiver, then followed her home and uttered more threats against her. A police report has been made, but police declined to intervene.

3. six 4 week old kittens put into a cardboard box and tossed into a dumpster, saved by a passerby who contacted a dog rescue, which then contacted us.

4. five cats and one dog abandoned by their owner, who simply left them behind when moving. We have advised the property owner that Animal Services and the Winnipeg Humane Society must deal with the situation as abandonment is a crime.

5. late this afternoon we received a call about 2 kittens tossed from a moving car at Broadway and Colony. Sadly, we were not able to accept those kittens, as we are absolutely out of space and money. We advised the caller to contact WHS to report the incident and ask for help placing the kittens.​That's just this week.

Over the past 2 months we have seen more cases of deliberate cruelty than in the previous 6 months combined. Media releases about them garner less and less attention. This is troubling because it means that cruelty to animals is no longer news worthy.

​More troubling is the fact that the agencies charged with responding to these events (police, animal services, Provincial Vet, Winnipeg Humane Society) either won't or are so overwhelmed with even more horrible cases that they can't.

Most troubling is the fact that these cases garner very little tangible response from the general public. Caring for abused, injured and abandoned animals is incredibly expensive, yet pleas for assistance draw virtually no response beyond 'sharing is caring' and anger directed at the perpetrators of whatever cruelty has most recently transpired. A few incredibly generous people give every single time, but cruelty has become so common that fewer people respond to each subsequent event.

Summer is finally here! Yay! Warm weather, kids out of school, camping trips, days at the beach, and vacations are all on the horizon. Everyone is excitedly planning what they will do with their holiday time. Kids are taking swimming lessons, running through the sprinkler, enjoying ice cream. What a wonderful time of year.

For those who work in animal welfare, however, summer is a time of desperation. It means incredible demands on resources, and no way to cover expenses, because donors are away. For Craig Street Cats, summer means making heart breaking decisions every day. Decisions that often mean death for the cats we must turn away because we do not have the money to care for them. We have to say no 40 or 50 times every day.

Summer is kitten season. Over the next few weeks we will be asked to take in over 1000 kittens. We will have to say no to almost all of them, because we do not have the money to care for them. Most of those kittens will be left on the street, where 75% of them will die before they are 3 months old.

Summer means incredible veterinary expenses, because all those kittens we are able to help must be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and dewormed. Many of them are sick, requiring medication and multiple visits to the vet. Some need life saving surgery. Over half of our annual veterinary expenses are incurred during July and August.

Summer means deciding which bills to pay, and which to leave until next month (or the month after that), because there is no money to pay all of them and still feed the cats.​Summer means writing articles like this one, because every year people forget about the cats while they are enjoying their holidays. Today is July 17th. Craig Street Cats' expenses, so far this month, are over $25,000. Total income this month? Just over $10,000.

Winnipeg, MB, June 28, 2017: A mother cat and her 4 kittens are safe at Craig Street Cats, after being abandoned in a small carrier at the side of St. Mary's Rd.

"We are appalled at the immense cruelty people can inflict on helpless animals," says Lynne Scott, Executive Director at Craig Street Cats. "The mother and 4 kittens were crammed into a small carrier, and left for goodness knows how long before a good samaritan stopped to investigate. The carrier is absolutely full of urine and feces. All 5 cats are very thin, and attacked the food and water bowls as soon as they were offered." Scott says the cats will see CSC's vet, and be held for several weeks before being offered for adoption.

About Craig Street Cats: Craig Street Cats is a non-profit organization working to humanely reduce Winnipeg's free roaming cat population, rescue kittens and educate the public about community cats. CSC is the largest cat specific animal welfare organization in Winnipeg, caring for over 750 cats in its managed colonies, foster homes and adoption centre.

Nona arrived at CSC in the spring of 2013. She was brought in by a very distressed person who had found her in an abandoned live trap. Although he couldn't be certain, he said he had seen an official looking group setting traps in the neighbourhood a couple of weeks earlier. He thought that the trap he found Nona in was one of theirs.

It was easy to believe that Nona had been in that trap for 2 weeks, without food or water. She was absolutely emaciated. Her eyes were sunken. She was listless. Her fur was dull and matted. Nona was waiting to die.

For the first few weeks, Nona would not eat on her own. She ignored food put in front of her. We had to feed her from a spoon held up to her mouth. This had to be done several times each day, until she started to eat on her own.

Once she started to eat, the challenge was to get Nona to respond to people. Her experience had left her emotionally shut down. She didn't hiss or swat at anyone, but no one could touch her. For months, Nona would stay in her bed except to eat and use her litter box. She wouldn't come out of her cage, even if the door was left open.

Slowly, after many months, Nona started to allow a few people to touch her. Gentle stroking, at first, then ear scratches, then belly rubs. She still wouldn't come out of her cage, but would purr when a select few spent time with her.

Now, after almost 4 years in our care, Nona is in a foster home, learning to live as a pet. Not because there wasn't a foster home available, rather, because she was not ready for one. Sending her too soon would have stalled her progress, and meant a longer journey.

At some point Nona will be ready for adoption. When that day comes, we will find the right home for her. Until then, she has the best we can give her. The timeline is hers, not ours.

Over the past 10 years CSC has cared for hundreds of special cats like Nona. Each has a story that might break your heart. Some of those stories don't end happily, but all of our special cats get all the time they need to give them a chance at a happy ending.

Care like this is expensive -- not because the cats are sick, but because they are with us for as long as they need to be. In Nona's case, the cost of 4 years of care is almost $5,000. That's a lot of money to put out for one cat, but we think she's worth it. The question is, do you? You can help provide care for Nona and cats like her, by participating in our Whisker Walk -- sign up to walk and raise pledges, join a team, sponsor one of our walkers, or make a donation to the cause. However you choose to help, it will make a difference for Nona and many other cats.

Craig Street Cats cannot continue in its current state. It has taken awhile to realize that this city simply has no support for a humane cat management program based on sound science, but that is the conclusion we have reached. The few people who have supported the program cannot hope to cover the cost on their own. Even though we have seen overwhelming success in every place where we have established comprehensive management of a cat population, we have not been able to convince this city (here I mean the people who live here, as well as their elected officials) that the effort is worth the cost.

What, exactly, is it that CSC does? It is really very simple. 100,000+ cats live on the streets of Winnipeg. Where people have identified that this is a problem, we help them manage it in the following manner:

1. establish feeding stations to help determine how many cats are in the area, and maintain baseline health2. trap all cats and kittens using specially designed feral cat traps3. spay or neuter and vaccinate all trapped cats4. remove kittens and friendly adult cats for adoption5. return unsocialized adult cats to the place they were trapped6. provide simple winter shelters to protect the remaining cats from our harsh weather.

These 6 simple things make huge changes in every area where community cats live:

1. nuisance behaviours stop almost immediately (fighting, yowling, spraying, smell)2. no more kittens are born to the colony3. all of the remaining cats become healthier4. numbers start to go down immediately (friendly adults and all kittens are put up for adoption)5. numbers continue to go down dramatically (70% in the first 5 years, 90% after 9 years)

Occasionally a new cat will migrate into a managed colony. These are trapped and assessed for TNR or adoption. The downward population trend remains unaltered.

This works. It works dramatically. It works in EVERY place where comprehensive management is established, and cost goes down every year. The highest cost occurs in the first two years of management, where many cats are being trapped for sterilization and adoption. After year two the only ongoing cost is food for a shrinking number of cats, occasional spay/neuter for a new cat, and occasional replacement of winter shelters.

In spite of our proven track record and over 30 years of good science supporting our efforts, we have been unable to convince Winnipeg that this is a worthwhile endeavor. Every year has seen increased demand for help managing community cats, but there has been no corresponding increase in support. Over the past year we have not been able to cover costs. For the first time in our history we are entering a new year with unpaid bills and no money in the bank.

Demoralized does not begin to describe the way I feel, right now. Having put almost 10 years of my life into a project in which I whole heartedly believe, it is heartbreaking to see it crumbling before me. In the past I have been able to cover outstanding amounts by raiding my retirement savings and using the full extent of my personal credit. I can no longer continue to do so. Craig Street Cats future cannot hinge on my personal ability to pay its bills.

Just over a year ago I sent out a press release to let Winnipeg know that Craig Street Cats could not continue without immediate and ongoing support. The result was that many people made immediate donations and pledged ongoing support. This convinced our board of directors to continue operations. Unfortunately, over 1/3 of those pledges were not honoured. Of the pledges made with credit cards, each month sees 1/4 to 1/3 of the charges fail to go through.

Before anyone hollers, 'geez here she goes crying for money again,' let me state that this is absolutely about money. This is also about a whole lot more:​ This is about a city that demands service, but refuses to pay for itThis is about a city that refuses to recognize that without a reasoned, scientific approach to cat population management, the 'cat problem' will only get worse.This is about the expectation that one person should cover the entire cost of a city wide programThis is about the refusal to accept that any person should make a living providing humane service to community catsThis is about the fact that Winnipeg truly does not value cats